Empowerment

So, as Sarah and Eiston posted, our project finally started. I was teaching our first workshop with Eiston yesterday and we were truly amazed by the students' willingness to learn, participation, language skills, and their appreciation of us being there. Even though life is tough, they are the happiest people I've ever seen, way happier than in Vancouver.

I saw students looking out of the school bus in their uniforms, which reminds me of myself when I went to elementary school in HK. But instead of weary faces, they are all smiling and waving to us, shouting to us, "How are you?"

Word of the day: Condiments

I think I was not thinking when I was typing some of the paragraphs up in our "textbook" and I just put that word down. It was funny trying to explain this to them. I'm glad that people are willing to share with us what they know and what they not know without being shy. When I asked if anyone wanted to read out the paragraphs in the book so many people were willing to volunteer, something that I have not encountered in my 15 years of education both in Vancouver and HK. I remember when I was little (and still do) when my mom gives me Chinese lessons she will make me read out the poems and essays and I really enjoyed that. Seeing the students doing the same really warms my heart and brings back some warm moments of my childhood and education experience too. I have done workshops before when I was in high school to "junior grade" students but I have never felt so intrinsically motivated, satisfied, and appreciated as I feel now. It's really quite special feeling.

My mom is a teacher too, and since I was young, she told me that education is a meaningful profession because it is about knowledge empowerment and we should never become a teacher just for money or because there is nothing else to do. I never really understood what it truly meant until yesterday.

One of the proposals that we chose to work with was a girl who wanted to operate a wholesale banana kiosk in Kibera slum. I spoke with her personally today, and she told me how she had refused to follow the norm to get married and have kids. She said she can have a future of her own and take life in her own hands and not depend on men. I cannot say it any better than she does and that really touched my heart. I am so glad to be here because many people who I know are more fortunate and live in Vancouver - they think about marrying rich. You will not believe how intelligent these people are.

We had a university professor come in to talk to the students today, and he said, "Yes, we are poor, but that is no excuse to stay poor." This is very well put - we may be born underpriviliged, but we have the tools and means to advance our own lives if we are determined to do so. It is quite the inspiration.

On a side note, here are some fun facts:

- People love my hair. They asked me if I dyed it or if my hair actually has two different colours. They don't believe that my hair turns out the way that it does without blowdrying. Shampooing and conditioning daily is quite the luxury in living standards here.

- The average income is 8USD/week

- We have had Indian and American food so far. Food is cheap and we don't really have a lot of lunch because we are in the slum, but we are well fed with regular meals.

- Brit slapped a moth in my face last night and it was quite the drama and amusing for the receptionist at the guest house.

Students here are very intelligent and they have the same dreams as we do, if not more ambitious. It is truly inspiring and being so fortunate to live in Vancouver, none of us should complain about homework anymore - anybody can achieve his/her dreams if he/she sets his/her mind to it.

Posted by Josephine Wong